The advantages and disadvantages of direct and indirect calorimetry

Kleiber's definitions of what constitutes direct and indirect calorimetry are accepted as the beginning of a commentary on the advantages and disadvantages of direct and indirect calorimetry in which calorimetry is divided into a number of categories based on the kind of calorimetric measurement. For non-reaction calorimetry such as entropy determinations and differential scanning calorimetry, the only means of measurement is by direct calorimetry. For reaction calorimetry, a preference of direct over indirect calorimetry depends on the accuracy needed and the ability of the experimenter to define the system. The data necessary to correct the observed heat loss in direct calorimetry are often all that are needed to make an indirect calculation of the true heat loss. In general, because they are convenient and inexpensive to use, indirect calorimetric methods are preferable to direct methods. However, when possible, one method can be used to verify the results of the other.